For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Eph. 6:12
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” 2 Cor. 10:3-4
“Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.” 1 Pet. 2:11
“… I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.” Rom. 7:23
“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” 2 Tim. 2:3
“Fight the good fight of faith….” 1 Tim. 6:12
And that doesn’t include the passages that talk about putting on spiritual armor (Rom. 13:12, Eph. 6:11ff.), resisting the devil (James 4:7, 1 Pet. 5:8-9), the hatred of the world (John 15:18-27, cf. James 4:4), etc.
Along with the direct military images, these passages also point to the three great enemies of our souls: the world, the flesh, and the devil (cf. Eph. 2:1-3). Scripture tells us how to deal with these: rather than allowing the world to mold us, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:1-2); rather than yielding our bodies to sin, we are to yield them to God and count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God (Rom. 6:10-13); as the devil seeks to devour us, we are to resist him (1 Pet. 5:8-9).
Jesus’ example in temptation shows us that we are to use Scripture to drive off Satan (cf. Eph. 6:17). Eph. 6:13-17 describes in more detail the armor of God for our fight against “the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). Thus truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and God’s word are critical for our spiritual warfare.
Discussions of the armor of God, however, often ignore the following verse (Eph. 6:18). Paul drops the metaphor of armor but caps his discussion with four words referring to prayer (“praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints”). The piling up of prayer words urges us to persistent, persevering prayer in the Spirit for all the saints as the critical weapon in our arsenal against the spiritual forces arrayed against us.
People who have studied spiritual warfare, dealing with temptation, and the like are undoubtedly familiar with all these passages. Less familiar, however, is the role of worship and especially corporate worship in spiritual warfare.
In worship, we declare the utter transcendence of God, His authority as Creator over all things, visible and invisible, and our absolute allegiance to Him. We rehearse the four-chapter Gospel of God’s Creation, humanity’s Fall into Sin, Christ’s redemption, and our calling to be agents of reconciliation, restoration, and renewal until the end of the age. We confess our sins and hear the announcement of forgiveness in Christ. Through preaching, we are equipped for the work of ministry (Eph. 4:11-12). Through prayer we combat the forces of evil, align ourselves with God’s purposes, and in some mysterious way participate with Him in extending His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. We celebrate the Supper—a participation in Christ’s body and blood (1 Cor. 10:16), a declaration of our unity in Christ, and an anticipation of the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.
All of this is a powerful counter to the world, the flesh, and the devil, each of which tries to distract us from God and get us to follow them. Our regular worship establishes almost subliminally in our minds and hearts the story of God’s work of redemption that replaces the fake news of the world’s stories. Confession aligns us with God’s ways and purposes. And the sacrament is, in the words of St. Augustine, a “visible promise” given to strengthen our faith in God’s word: just as bread and wine, the staples of Jesus’ day, nourish us and give us health and strength, so in the same way Jesus is the source of our life and health. Much more can be said about the Lord’s Supper, but at the very least it is a means of grace that strengthens us for the warfare in which we are engaged.
I want to add a special word about music. In the Catholic and Orthodox world, people engaged in deliverance ministries argue that the sound of blessed bells can drive off demons because they hate the sound of things consecrated to God. Similarly, a pastor I know in Sierra Leone who has extensive experience with demons told me that praise music drives off demons for the same reason: they hate the sound of praise to God.
For a lot of folks, particularly Protestants, we don’t know what to make of claims like this. They’re notably outside our everyday experience. But we do know from I Samuel that David’s music drove away the spirit afflicting Saul. We also know the prominence of song in God’s word, particularly the Psalms, as the go-to response to losing sight of God. We further know the power of hymns and spiritual song in uniting and strengthening God’s people down through the ages. Singing the praise of God is not entertainment for His people but a potent weapon for their fight.
Corporate worship is an important part of Christian life, witness, and warfare. Perhaps that is the reason that it is feared by totalitarian governments, which invariably try to either coopt or ban it. May we recommit ourselves to the importance of assembling together, encouraging one another, and together standing against the world, the flesh, and the devil.
King David instigated worship in the House of the Lord and sang, “But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3). We are strengthened in the Spirit and the Lord goes before us in battle, as we praise and worship Him. In 2 Chronicles 20:20-24, the Levites sang a song of praise, by faith to ensure victory over the people of Moab and Ammon. They presented themselves as a marching band and went out in front of the army of Israel as commanded by God under King Jehoshaphat singing, “Praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever” (2 Chronicles 20:21). God went before them and defeated the enemy!
So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
For you shall go out with joy and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands
PSALM 150 – Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! 2 Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! 3 Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! 4 Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! 5 Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
THEME OF THE DAY. THE SPIRITUAL WEAPON OF PRAISE. It appears in every verse. In fact, its presence occurs thirteen times in six verses. I really don’t need to identify “it” for just a quick reading of today’s scripture reveals it. The repeated theme, and repeated with great emphasis, is praise. Allow me to show us this forceful repetition. We read “Praise the Lord”, “Praise God”, “Praise Him”, “Praise Him”, “Praise Him”, “Praise Him”, “Praise Him”, “Praise Him”, “Praise Him”, “Praise Him”, “Praise Him”, “Praise the Lord”, and “Praise the Lord.” That’s a lot of worship! And when it comes to worship, it might well be one of the most neglected of spiritual weapons a Christian uses in doing daily battle against the devil, world, and self. Though it is not listed in the weaponry of the Christian in Ephesians 6:10-18, there is no question that a Christian who lives in the spirit of worship will experience consistent spiritual victory. Conversely, the believer who is failing to command to “Rejoice in the Lord always” which is another form of praise, will live in perpetual defeat (Philippians 4:4-7).
Before we consider praise as a spiritual weapon, let’s identify at least four distinctions about praise from today’s scripture. First, praise is centered foremost on God’s Person, not His actions. Of the thirteen references to praising Him, only one focuses on what God does. This is important because it prevents worship from being mere form and mechanical. True worship is relational and the only Christians who will worship God in spirit and truth are those walking close to Him, fighting the good fight against sin and for holiness. Another thing about praise is it will recognize the works of God. The worshipper will remember God’s great works in his or her life that serve to take the heart of the worshipper to the heart of the One worshipped. A third thing about worship is the emphasis on God’s character, particularly, His “excellent greatness”. If we are to worship God sincerely, we must see Him as He truly is and that is awesome and great beyond comprehension. This produces the necessary quality of humility in the worshipper. A final distinction about true praise of the Lord is that it is expected by all living beings – “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” Such a mandate reveals the created purpose of all people – to be worshipping of the One True God. But now let’s move into praise and spiritual warfare.
Praising the Lord is one of the most effective spiritual weapons a Christian may use to defeat the devil, world, and self because living in a state of worshipping the Lord takes our eyes off ourselves, our circumstances and our situations. And when self is taken out of the way, the “fuel” the devil, world, and self uses to bring about spiritual defeat is removed. The “dead to self” Christian is lost in the wonder and amazement of who God is and self-centered living is purged. And in the process of becoming less selfish, the number one hindrance to true praise is slowly lifted from the heart to be replaced by selfless adoration of the God worthy of all praise. Oh, may the Lord teach us how to use the weapon of praise in our daily combat against our spiritual foes.
Praising God is such a fundamental part of our lives – it’s a matter of survival really. But each of us has a different story to tell, an individual experience to relate to, a specific thread we want to start pulling from. It’s personal and nearly lawless, not to say unruly. Giving glory and honor and praise is the exact reason why we were born and born again!
- The 7 Hebrew Words for Praise
- 1. Hallal הָלַל
- 2. Yadah יָדָה
- 3. Towdah תּוֹדָה
- 4. Shabach שָׁבַח
- 5. Barak בָּרַךְ
- 6. Zamar זָמַר
- 7. Tehillah תְּהִלָּה
1. The Hebrew word for Praise: “Hallel”
Unrestrained, David danced and praised the Lord in ecstatic delight as he watched the Ark of the Lord being brought back to Jerusalem. The Bible tells us in 2 Samuel 6 that all of Israel rejoiced with shouts and the sound of trumpets. And no one rejoiced as hard as the King.
Clad in a ceremonial linen dress, a garment normally reserved for priests and ministers, David praised God unreservedly. Bones unstrung, like he was tearing himself from the inside, his joy was complete. His was a Hallelpraise.
To shine, to be boastful, to glorify – Hallel is found throughout the Bible as a Hebrew word for Praise.
“Praise (Hallelu) ye the Lord, praise (Hallelu) o ye servants of the Lord, praise (Hallelu) the name of the Lord”. – Ps 113:1 (KJV)
The root for Hallel gives us two more important words. One is Hallelujah, a combination of “praise” (Hallel) and the name Yahweh – God’s personal name in Hebrew. The second word is Tehilah.
2. Praising with “Tehilah”
Known for being the Hebrew name of the Book of Psalms (Sefer Tehillim), Tehilah is a praise song. It is a spontaneous instruction to bring forth light and celebration with songs, shouts, and holy noise.
One of the first times we find the word Tehilah in the Bible is right after God delivers the Hebrews from Egypt. Moses and the children of Israel have safely crossed the Red Sea. In Exodus 15, their eyes had just seen the waters collapse on top of their enemies.
I would imagine there was a moment of baffling silence, backed only by the sea still roaring. Mouths agape, their hearts were still pounding from the fear of imminent death. Israel tried to make their minds comprehend the impossible that the Lord had just made possible for them.
And then, one by one, all together, thousands upon thousands of voices in praise, in thankfulness, and laughter. A praise for salvation, for freedom, for dreaming again:
“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises (Tehilot) of Israel”. Ps 22:3 (KJV)
3. The Hebrew Understanding of “Zamar”
Similar to Tehilah, Zamar is a musical term for praise. But a Zamar praise implies the use of string instruments. It is the idea of making music by plucking at strings with fingers and singing praises unto God.
The Hebrew Zamar praise is harmonious and collective. It utilizes music to express our worship, creating an atmosphere where God is invited to move powerfully. This instrumental or choir-like praise is much less common these days, although I’m certain this is what Heaven sounds like.
In Revelations 5 and 14, John mentions that the sound he heard was like harpists playing their harps. He also described the praise of “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands upon thousands” angels singing in perfect harmony like a one voice.
The Praise that Shifts the Air
David was able to move the spiritual realm with just a few plucks of strings. I can imagine Saul sitting down, body heavy but wound up in pain. His trembling hand covered his tired eyes, while the other clutched his chair in a tight vice.
And David, young and full of God, let his worship flow. Time slowed down, stopped for the occasion. Divine light floating in and through, rushing waters gushing through the cracks, enveloping Saul, restarting him anew.
“Sing praises (Zamru) to God, sing praises (Zameru): sing praises (Zamru) unto our King, sing praises (Zameru)”. Ps 47:6
At the same time, if we trace the word back to its primitive root, we find Zamardescribing the act of pruning as well. In fact, the Jewish people celebrate the harvest with songs and dances to this day. How fitting that while we praise Him with Zamar, the Lord is lifting us up. He cuts away at what is old and unbecoming of His children and allows us to bring forth new fruit.
4. Hebrew Word for Worship through “Yadah”
There’s another word in Hebrew that relates to praise, even though it is rarely used: Yadah. Derived from the Hebrew word for “hand” (yad), Yadahdescribes moments of worship when God is praised with raising of hands.
For Moses and the fight against the Amalekites, in Exodus 17, raising hands meant battling. As long as Moses’ hands were lifted in prayer, Israel was prevailing in war, physically and spiritually.
When we surrender ourselves to the Lord with arms lifted up, praising His Majesty and His greatness, He is fighting our battles. The tools of our praise are the tools to fight our enemy as well. It is how we will always overcome in victory.
5. “Todah” and the Essence of Praise
The difference between Yadah and our next word – Todah – is tenuous at best. Both derive from the same word (yad) and both imply the use of our hands to praise. But Todah comes with its unusual brand of beauty.
Todah remains to this day the Hebrew way of simply saying thank you. We also raise our hands in thanks because the Lord’s lovingkindness is everlasting. And we come to Him with our meagre offering – our five fish and two loaves of bread, our willing sacrifice.
“Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises (Todot) unto thee”. Ps 56:12
We extend our hands in adoration and thanksgiving, wanting nothing in return but getting everything back.
6. Worship and Praise with“Barach”
In the book of Daniel, Scripture explains that in his house in Babylon Daniel would open the windows, get down on his knees facing in the direction of Jerusalem, and he would pray. Similarly, Jeremiah kneeled down and put his face between his knees asking for rain on top of a mountain (1 Kings 18:42).
Or Moses, perhaps huddled against a rock, barefoot and afraid to look at a bush that burned (Exodus 3). What a powerful image that is, that one would abandon physical comfort in passionate humility. An ardent desire to worship in reverence, in the absolute knowledge of how infinitely small and ephemeral we are, like breath on a mirror.
There is a word for that in Hebrew Praise; a word that is used to indicate the physical posture of kneeling, as well as one of the most common terms in Hebrew for blessing: barach. The wonderful news is that, as He breaks us and puts us back together, our spirit swells, and we emerge, we stand up stronger, braver, and whole.
“Blessed (Baruch) be the Lord for evermore, amen and amen”. Ps 89:52
Hebrew Praise and Worship
We should appreciate the intensity and devotion that the Hebrew understanding of worship and praise can teach us. Psalm 22:3 states that God inhabits the praises of Israel. How is it that they were so closely connected to God when they hadn’t been blessed with a torn veil?
I believe one of the answers might reside in their fear of the Lord. The academic in me would like to point out that in the complex task of translating Hebrew poetry into English, we lost a lot of meaning.
There are many words in Hebrew that are used to describe an act of praise. We saw only six. They have been consolidated in most modern languages in words like “praise” and “worship”, and that is just how linguistics work at times.
To Praise is: to boast, to rave (about), to commend, to speak well of, to laud
Old Testament Hebrew words for Praise:
Halal (haw-lal’)
Strongs #1984
– to be clear (…of sound…); to shine, to make a show
– to boast; to be clamourously foolish, make foolish
– to rave, to celebrate, commend
– to sing praise, renowned
Yadah (yaw-daw’)
Strongs #3034
– to use / hold out the hand, throw out hands
– to revere or worship (with extended hands)
– confession, praise, give thanks, thanksgiving
Tehillah (the-hil-law’)
Strongs #8416
– laudation, praise
Zamar (zaw-mar’)
Strongs #2167
– to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument
– to play upon it, to make music accompanied by the voice
– to celebrate in song and music
– to strike (a musical instrument / strings) with fingers
Barak (baw-rak’)
Strongs #1288
– to kneel (see thanksgiving)
– kneel down, salute, bless God, act of adoration
Shabach (shaw-bakh’)
Strongs #7623
– to address in a loud tone, ie LOUD
– commend, glory, praise, triumph
Shebach (Sheb-akh’)
Strongs #7624
– to adulate, ie to adore
Todah (to-daw)
Strongs #8426
– an extension of the hand, adoration, a choir of worshippers
(Towdah)
– confession, sacrifice of praise, thanks, thanksgiving
Mahalal (mah-hal-awl’)
Strongs #4110
– fame
New Testament Greek word for Praise
Epainos (ep’ahee-nos)
Strongs #1868
– laudation, a commendable thing
Doxa (dox’-ah)
Strongs #1391
– glory
Eulogeo (Eu-log-eh’-o)
Strongs #2127
– to speak well of
Arete (ar-et’ay)
Strongs #703
– manliness (valour) – ie excellence
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